Vacuum cleaner filter valve



'March .21, 19.33- w. LEATHERS LQOZSB VACUUM CLEANER 'FILTER VALVE FiledNov. 5, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 2 2% INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 271, 1933 UNITED STATES 1 PATENT l oFFlcE WARD LEATHERs,or HAwoR'rrr, 'NEW JERSEY, A'ssIeNoR mo'. TBZ QUADREX CORPORATION, Aco'RjroRA'rIoN or ooNNEcrrcufr vacunar QLEANER .FILTEifu veLvE'Appncation mea November a, 1,930.V4 seria-1 1,119,493,968.

The object of my invention is to produce a bagless vacuum-cleanerwherein the dirt- Y laden vair is filtered in a permanent sleevetypefilter land from which the accumulated i dirt may be instantly emptiedpneumatically.l

In order to accomplish this purpose, I have invented a simple means ofremoving the dirt, `consisting of a single plunger rod equipped in thesimplest manner'with two valves, and rby this simple mechanism I bavesucceeded in re-routing the flow ofV air through the filter so ,that'inthe operating condition the dirt-laden air enters at the top of thefilter` depositing the dirt inthe bottomthereof, while in the exhaustingcondition the blast of air enters Aat the bottom of the filter blowingthe dirt from the top thereof and out through the hollow handle or fromany otherl desirable outlet.

In order to set forth my invention in clearly understandable terms, Ihave .prepared the following specification and appended thereto, forVpurposes `of clarity,

drawings of which-4- Figure I is a partial section of the upper end ofthe filter and valve mechanism, ap-` proximately half size.

jFigure II is a section of thelower end of the filter and valvemechanism, approximately half size.

Figure III shows `the valves in detail, approximately full size.

V"Figure IV shows the application ofmy .35 valved sleeve filter to a.typev of Ycleaner where the motor is carried on the handle,approximately full size.

In Figures I and II, 1 is a hollow `handle of .suitable material,preferably of hard 4 fibre. 2 is a hollow tube of .thin section,preferably of metal, such as steel -or hard aluminum. `The tube `2,the-filter top 3 and Lthe handlel are allshown clamped together kby thescrew clamp 4, which may, as shown, .also carry, or be integral with,the cord hook 5. The bottom end of the tube 2 isclamped, or otherwiseattached, to a suitable hollow part 6 permitting the `inflow ofdirt-laden ain from the motor-blower and Khinging the 5"halldle .theretoas shQWILH 11,13 ,Pa-tent. 4aP- vblower is'admittedlto the lower endof-'gthe plications Nos. 492,424, filed Oct. 31, 1930,. 472,703, filedAug. I2, 1930, 477,832, filed Aug. 26, 1930. 'Ihe tube 2 is providedwith ports 7 at both ends. These ports are preferably cut through themetal walls of the tube in such manner that there is no metal removed.vThis can be accomplished by 'turning the metal of the portareas-outward in the form of wings for stili'ening purposes. At the topand bottom edges of the ports, the metalmay also be carried out to ashoul-V der in order to keepthe tube practically as rigid where itis'supplied with ports aselsewhere. VBy suitable means, the filtersleeve 8 may be joined -to the filter top 3 and in similar manner to thefilter bottom 9. 9k may again be clamped to the tube 2 by a clamp 10which may also carry, or be integral with, the cord hook. Over a hole,cut in the hollow handle 1, may be attached a stamped part 11. 11 has ahole in the top for the passage ofthe rod A12, a little supporting cupunderneath for holding a felt packing and a hand guard 13. The plungerrod 12 has included with it as a vunitassembly before being put into avacuumv cleaner the fol-lowing parts: an annular filter ring'or valve14, heldbetween suitable annular stamped parts rigidly attached to theplunger rod 12, a spring stop -15 also rigidly attached to the rod 12,'a spring 16,` a spacer 17 free on the rod 12, and a cylindricalsleeve-valve 18 rigidly attached to the rod V12 as by a bail 19.

Figure III shows the rod valve mechanism in practically complete detail,approxi mately `actual size. A `heavy felt washer 20 clamped betweenmetal washers andto a lcone-shaped piece 21 may be .joined to the `rodat l22 Iin suitable manner as by spot welding. The Ybailv19y may be spotwelded to the rodand lspot welded to thegslleeveplS. Thelsleeve 18.mayconsist of .thin sheet metal withafacing lof thin' felt .and may be,ysplit on the edges Ilongitudinally,as shown at 323,` 5 in order ,toprovide a slight spring expann sion ,for tighter fitting, if desired.

`The operation of the mechanism vis Vas follows z dirt-,laden air from ythe motormn sleeve 8 and accumulates at the bottom veniently be Amade ofhard fibre.

thereof. The principle of carrying the air in the direction of gravitywhile the dirt is being ltered therefrom is a highly important essentialto practical operation. When a suiiicient amount of dirt hasaccumulated, the plunger rod is pressed down,

from the top a iixed distance, namely, until the button 24 reaches itsstop. Such measured distance puts the valve 14 below the upper valveslots 7, thus closing the tube 2 tightly therebelow. rIhe same movementof the rod movesthe sleeve 18 the same measured distance to a pointbelow the lower vslots 7 thereby uncovering said lower port.

'Ihe air now flows into the filter from the bottom, out of the lter fromvthe top and out through the hollow handle. l l

In Figure IV, I have shown a modification of the lower valve only, forthe purpose of applying my invention, in practical form, to that type ofvacuum-cleaner where the motor is carried on the handle and the axis ofthe motor coincides with the'aXis of the handle. 25 is a motor-housing.is the blower-housing and 27 a cylindrical piece of sheet metalsurrounding said motor-housing with suiiicient space between for theupward flow of dirt-laden air from the blower. An annular part 28 shownriveted to 27 provides a socket for 'the hollow tube 2 which, in thiscase, may con- The part 28 is provided with a ring of ports 29 `and isjoined to the tube 2 by suitable means, such as a screw clamp 30. Thefabric iilter 8 may be suitably attached as by a ring 31 joined to 27 byscrews. Another spacer 32,

(similar to 17 in Figure I), holds the plunger rod 12 in a centralposition at the bottom. A dish-like part 33 suitably joined to thebottom of the plunger rod 12 as b-y up-setting or spot welding carrieson its face a ring of felt (shown black inthe drawings). The center ofthe parts 32 and .33 is cut away as much as is practical, leaving onlyspiders for support. The dirtladen air may now flow freely from theblower upward through the tube 2 and into the top of the lter, as beforedescribed as shown in Figure I. IVhen the plunger rod.-

12 is depressed, the uppervalve moves to the second position, asformerly described, and the dish 33 uncovers the ring ports 29. Thus,the operable functions are similar to 6,) lthose of Figures I, II, andIII. Y

Having set forth my invention in terms so that "all those familiar withthese arts may readily understand, I wish it understood that theprinciples involved in my `invention may be utilized in many and deviousforms of design without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, a motor-driven blower, a rigid hollow air ductleading therefrom, a filter, upper and lower ports in said air-ductcommunicating with the lter, and means of opening and closing the upperand lower ports, the Aupper being open when the lower is closedand viceversa, for purposes of cleaning said filter pneumatically i VV2. In avacuum cleaner, a motor-driven blower, a rigid hollow air duct leadingtherefrom, a filter, upper and lower lports in said air-ductcommunicating with the lter, and means of simultaneously openingandiclosing the upper and lower ports, the

upperbeing open when the lower is closed and vice versa, for purposes ofcleaning said filter pneumatically. p

3. In a vacuum cleaner, a motor-driven blower, a rigid hollow air ductleading therefrom,1a filter, upper and lower ports in said air-ductcommunicating with the said upper and lower ports, the upper being n,

open when the lower is closedl and vice versa, for purposes ofv cleaningsaid filter pneumatically through the handle.

'5. In a vacuum cleanera hollow tubular air duct ,leading therefrom, aiilter `sur-k rounding said air duct, a hollow handle leadingV from theupper end of the air duct, an upper port in said air duct communicatingwith the top of said iilter, a lower port communicating with the bottomof said filter, and means of simultaneously opening and closing saidupper and lower ports, the upper being open when the lower is closedandivice versa, for purposes o-f cleaning` said filter pneumaticallythrough theV leading from the upper endof the air duct, an upper port insaid air duct communicating with the top of said lter, a lower portcommunicating with the bottom of said WARD LEATHERS.

